Pneumatic conveyors

ABSTRACT

A conveyor operating by suction for transporting flat or longitudinally corrugated rectangular articles placed on an elevating table, with a suction source, means for advancing each article to be transported in sealing contact with a box or chamber having the form of a rectangular parallelipiped open over the whole of its lower side and in communication with the suction source and means for only permitting the suction to be usefully applied to the article in the part of the chamber against which the article is located at a given moment. The means for advancing the product and the means for allowing the suction to be applied usefully to the product comprise a common device which forms a movable end wall of the box or chamber opposite a fixed wall beyond which the product is transported. The suction mechanism is connected to the end of the box or chamber adjoining the fixed wall, and the movable wall is able to move in a practically fluid-tight manner along the box or chamber. The open side of the chamber has sealing means which engage the article to be displaced, and the movable wall carries guide rollers which cooperate with slots disposed respectively in vertical walls of the box or chamber, the displacement of the movable wall being effected through the action of suction. Means are also provided to urge the movable wall towards its position of rest.

United States Patent Kuzniak 541 PNEUMATIC CONVEYORS Bernard Kuzniak, Place J. B. Moulin, Lezoux, France [22] Filed: Mar. 19,1970

[2|] Appl.No.: 20,906

[72] inventor:

I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICAT IONS Canada ..27l/26 Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon, Jr. Attorney-Lee C. Robinson, Jr.

' 57 ABSTRACT A conveyor operating by suction for transporting flat or Iongitudinally corrugated rectangular articles placed on an elevating table, with a suction source, means for advancing each article to be transported in sealing contact with a box or chamber having the form of a rectangular parallelipipcd open over the whole of its lower side and in communication with the suction source and means for only permitting the suction to be usefully applied to the article in the part of the chamber against which the article islocated at a given moment. The means for advancing the product and the means for allowing the suction to be applied usefully to the product comprise a common device which forms a movable end wall of the box or chamber opposite a fixed wall beyond which the product is transported. The suction mechanism is connected to the end of the box or chamber adjoining the fixed wall, and the movable wall is able to move in a practically fluid-tight manner along the box or chamber. The open side of the chamber has sealing means which engage the article to be displaced, and the movable wall carries guide rollers which cooperate with slots disposed respectively in vertical walls of the box or chamber, the displacement of the movable wall being effected through the action of suction. Means are also provided to urge the movable wall towards its position of rest.

, 12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATEN TEDMAY 91972 3,661 ,381

SHEET 1 BF 3 by BERNARD KuzmAK 0M lit- 12' mu PATENTEDMAY 91912' 3.661381 sum 2 OF 3 I PNEUMATIC couvsvons The invention relates to a conveyor operating by suction for transporting flat or longitudinally corrugated rectangular articles placed on an elevating table, comprising in combination a suction source, means for advancing each article to be transported in sealing contact with a chamber having the form of a rectangular parallelipiped open over the whole of its lower side and in communication with the suction source and means for only permitting the suction to be usefully applied to the article in the part of the chamber against which the article is located at a given moment, characterized in that the means for advancing the product and the means for allowing the suction to be applied usefully to the product comprise a common device including a movable end wall of the box opposite the fixed wall beyond which the product is to be transported. In one case the suction mechanism is connected to the end of the box adjoining the fixed wall, and the movable wall is T-shaped in section through the median longitudinal plane of the box, the bar of the T being disposed vertically and its top end being able to move in a practically fluid-tight manner along the top wall of the box while its bottom end carries a flexible sealing skirt. This latter end projects out of the box between two flexible sealing skirts fastened to the side walls of said box and pushes the product to be displaced. Slightly below its junction with the stern of the T, the lower portion of the movable wall carries two guide rollers which cooperate with two horizontal slots disposed respectively in each vertical wall of the box,

while the stem of the T, which is disposed horizontally, has at its free end two guide rollers which cooperate with slots in the form of a parallelogram which are formed respectively in each side wall of the box. The displacement of the movable wall is effected through the action of suction, and this wall is in addition urged towards its position of rest, in which it practically coincides with the end of the box, by a suitable device, such as an arrangement comprising a cable, return pulley, and counterweight. In addition, rollers mounted loose outside the box below the side walls facilitate the advance of the product in the direction of the conventional conveyor rollers of a machine or, quite generally, of a station where the product is to be deposited. The fixed end wall of the box naturally also has a flexible sealing skirt,

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagramatically and by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

F 10$. 1 to 3 are median longitudinal sections of a first form of construction of the conveyor according to the invention, respectively at rest, in course of operation, and after the product has left the conveyor.

In the drawings, it is seen that the conveyor comprises essentially a casing designated generally by l and of general parallelepipedic shape, the larger dimension being disposed horizontally and the bottom face and one end being open. This casing defines a chamber having two parallel longitudinal vertical walls la, of which only one is visible, a top horizontal wall lb, a fixed vertical end wall 10, and a movable vertical end wall 2 located within the open end of the chamber. At the end of the chamber adjacent to the wall 1c the top part lb is provided with a suction pipe 3 connected to a suction source illustrated diagrammatically by the arrow 4. The walls la and 1c carry at their bottom ends flexible sealing skirts 5, 5a, and the wall 2 similarly carries a sealing skirt 6.

The wall 2 has a T-shaped section through the plane of FIGS. 1 to 3. The bar 2a of the T is disposed vertically and the relatively short stem 2b is disposed horizontally (in the normal position, that is to say in the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). Slightly below its junction with the stem 2b the bar 2a carries two guide rollers 7 (of which only one is visible) which run in two horizontal guide slots 8 provided at the same height in the walls 1a. The stem 2b of the T carries, near its free end, two guide rollers 9 similar to the rollers 7 and adapted to run in two series of slots 10 having the shape of parallelograms and formed in the walls 1a, each comprising two parallel horizontal lengths 10a, 10b, both situated above the slots 8 and connected by two parallel oblique lengths 10c, 10d which are inclined by about 45 from bottom to top in the direction of the fixed wall 1c. The slots 8 terminate at the open end of the walls 1a, while on the corresponding side the slots 10a terminate at the slots 10d. Nevertheless, in practice, in order to facilitate the assembly of the wall 2 and the rollers 7 and 9 the slots 10a are extended as indicated in broken lines at 10a to the open end of each wall 1a, and the portions 10c are closed by suitable stoppers after the rollers 9 have been placed in position. The top edge 20 of the movable wall 2 is displaced practically without clearance along the top wall 1b of the chamber 1, if desired with the inter-position of a suitable seal (not shown).

At the junction of the bar 2a and of the stem 2b of the T, the wall 2 carries a cable 11 which is wound over a return pulley 12, the shaft 13 of which is carried by a fixed point, for example a point connected to the chamber 1, and at the opposite end of the cable 11 a counterweight 14 is fixed. Finally, idler rollers 15 are mounted loose at 16 at the bottom end of each wall 1a, so that their lower generatrix is situated at a higher level than the lower edges of the skirts 5, 5a, and 6.

In addition, an elevator table 17 is adapted to receive a certain number of flat products, which are the panels 18 in the example illustrated, and which have to be displaced with the aid of the conveyor according to the invention. These panels are advantageously of agglomerated material and may in particular have fairly high porosity, so that it is difficult to handle them with the aid of known suction cup devices.

At the outlet of the conveyor, which is a fixed installation, there is provided another device to which the panels 18 have to be transferred. This device may be a machine intended to subject the panels to further treatment. For the sake of greater simplicity, this device has been illustrated very diagrammatically in the form of a driving roller 19 of known type which rotates about a shaft 20 carried in any suitable manner and driven by means which are not illustrated.

The operation of the conveyor is as follows:

When the various elements are in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the table 17 is raised until the top panel 18 is in contact with the rollers 15, the skirts 5, 5a, and 6 entirely surrounding the panel in a fluid-tight manner. With the aid of the source 4, suction is applied to the chamber 1 and this has the effect that the panel 18 is firmly held against the rollers 15. The table 17 is then lowered. The suction in the pipe 3 is transmitted to the movable wall 2 and tends to displace the latter towards the right in FIGS. 1 to 3. This displacement is guided by the rollers 7 rolling in the slots 8, and by the rollers 9 rolling in the slots 10a. The wall 2 in contact with the left-hand end of the panel 18 drives the latter towards the right (position shown in H6. 2). At the moment the leading end of the panel 18 comes into contact with the roller 19, it continues to be driven by the latter. The movement is continued until the rollers 9 arrive at the junction of the slots, 10a and 10c. As they rise in the slots 100, the rollers 9 pivot the wall 2, and the rollers 7 continue to follow the grooves 8 until the wall 2 is practically horizontal (position illustrated in FIG. 3.) and has left the panel 18, which at this point is driven only by the roller 19. When the rollers 9 arrive at the junction of the slots 10b and they are engaged in the slots 10b under the action of the counterweight 14, the traction of which was until that moment overridden by the suction, the latter ceasing to be applied usefully from the moment when the skirts 5, 5a and 6 ceased to be in contact with the panel 18 and when the free air can enter into the chamber 1 through its bottom opening. The counterweight 14 then brings back the wall 2, which swings in the opposite direction in proportion as the rollers 9 advance in the slots 10b, the rollers 7 returning in the slots 8. When the rollers 9 reach the slots 10d, they descend and the wall 2 resumes its vertical position of rest and is ready to transport a new panel 18. If desired, it is possible to provide a device for synchronization of the movements of the table 17, the counterweight 14 or the panel 18 and the suction source 4, to ensure that the latter will operate only when it is necessary to apply suction to the interior of the chamber 1.

I claim:

l. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting successive articles comprising, in combination:

means defining a suction chamber having a first opening facing an article to be transported and a second opening;

means for applying suction to the chamber;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said first opening; and

wall means disposed within the second opening of the 'chamber in position to engage said article when the article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means being movable within said chamber to transport said article along said first opening with the article in said substantially air-tight contact.

2. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting successive articles comprising, in combination:

means defining a suction chamber having a first opening facing an article to be transported and a second opening;

means for applying suction to the chamber;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said first opening;

wall means disposed within the second opening of the chamber in position to engage said article when the article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means being movable within said chamber to transport said article along said first opening with the article in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means blocking said second opening during at least a portion of its movement within said chamber; and

means responsive to the movement of the wall means to a predetermined position within said chamber for returning said wall means to its initial position.

3. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 2, in which the suction applied to said chamber holds the article and the chamber defining means in said substantially air-tight contact and simultaneously moves said wall means to said predetermined position.

4. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination:

means defining an elongate chamber having an open end and an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening;

means including an end wall disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position adjacent said open end and a forward position intermediate the ends of the chamber;

means for maintaining said end wall in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of the end wall from its rearward to its forward position; and

means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and moving the end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement.

5. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination:

means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening;

means including an end wall disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the end wall blocks said open end and a forward position intermediate the ends of the chamber;

means for maintaining said end wall in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of the end wall from its rearward to its forward position;

means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and moving the end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement; and

means responsive to the movement of said end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position.

6. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 5, in which the last-mentioned means comprises further comprises a plurality of idler rollers externally supported with respect to said chamber adjacent the chamber's additional opening for facilitating the movement of the article.

8. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination:

means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening;

means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall;

means for maintaining the bar of said T in substantially airtight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and for thereafter moving said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position; and

means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement.

9. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 8, in which:

the chamber defining means further includes a pair of longitudinal side walls, each of said side walls having a groove extending in the direction of movement of the article; and

the maintaining means for the bar of said T comprises a pair of rollers carried by said end wall and respectively extending into the grooves in the side walls.

10. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 9 in which:

the groove in each of the side walls forms a parallelogram having two longitudinally extending lengths; and

the maintaining means for the bar of said T comprises an additional pair of rollers carried by the stem of the T and respectively extending into said grooves, the rollers in each groove being disposed on the same longitudinally prising in combination:

means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported;

positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening;

means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall;

means for maintaining the bar of said T in substantially airtight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and-for thereafter pivoting said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position;

means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement; and

means automatically responsive to the movement of said T- shaped end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position.

prising in combination:

means defining an elongate chamber having a pair of longitudinal side walls and a fixed wall at one end thereof, the chamber being open at its opposite end and including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported;

positioning means for moving the article into engagement with the chamber defining means, the chamber defining means including a plurality of sealing skirts carried by said side walls and said fixed wall for maintaining the anicle in substantially air-tight contact therewith, with the article blocking said additional opening;

means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article whensaid article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall;

means for maintaining the'bar of said T in substantially airtight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and for thereafter pivoting said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position;

means communicating with the chamber adjacent said fixed wall for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional openinglduring its movement; and

means automatica ly responsive to the movement of said T- shaped end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position.

i I I? 

1. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting successive articles comprising, in combination: means defining a suction chamber having a first opening facing an article to be transported and a second opening; means for applying suction to the chamber; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said first opening; and wall means disposed within the second opening of the chamber in position to engage said article when the article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means being movable within said chamber to transport said article along said first opening with the article in said substantially air-tight contact.
 2. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting successive articles comprising, in combination: means defining a suction chamber having a first opening facing an article to be transported and a second opening; means for applying suction to the Chamber; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said first opening; wall means disposed within the second opening of the chamber in position to engage said article when the article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means being movable within said chamber to transport said article along said first opening with the article in said substantially air-tight contact, said wall means blocking said second opening during at least a portion of its movement within said chamber; and means responsive to the movement of the wall means to a predetermined position within said chamber for returning said wall means to its initial position.
 3. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 2, in which the suction applied to said chamber holds the article and the chamber defining means in said substantially air-tight contact and simultaneously moves said wall means to said predetermined position.
 4. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination: means defining an elongate chamber having an open end and an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening; means including an end wall disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position adjacent said open end and a forward position intermediate the ends of the chamber; means for maintaining said end wall in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of the end wall from its rearward to its forward position; and means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and moving the end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement.
 5. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination: means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening; means including an end wall disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the end wall blocks said open end and a forward position intermediate the ends of the chamber; means for maintaining said end wall in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of the end wall from its rearward to its forward position; means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and moving the end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement; and means responsive to the movement of said end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position.
 6. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 5, in which the last-mentioned means comprises a counterweight externally located with respect to said chamber; and means for connecting the counter-weight to said end wall.
 7. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 5, which further comprises a plurality of idler rollers externally supported with respect to said chamber adjacent the chamber''s additional opening for facilitating the movement of the article.
 8. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising, in combination: means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening; means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall; means for maintaining the bar of said T in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and for thereafter moving said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position; and means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement.
 9. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 8, in which: the chamber defining means further includes a pair of longitudinal side walls, each of said side walls having a groove extending in the direction of movement of the article; and the maintaining means for the bar of said T comprises a pair of rollers carried by said end wall and respectively extending into the grooves in the side walls.
 10. A pneumatic conveyor according to claim 9 in which: the groove in each of the side walls forms a parallelogram having two longitudinally extending lengths; and the maintaining means for the bar of said T comprises an additional pair of rollers carried by the stem of the T and respectively extending into said grooves, the rollers in each groove being disposed on the same longitudinally extending length during the movement of the end wall from said rearward position to said forward position and being disposed in different longitudinally extending lengths during the return movement of the end wall from said forward position to said rearward position.
 11. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising in combination: means defining an elongate chamber having a fixed wall at one end thereof and being open at the opposite end, the chamber including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported; positioning means for locating the article and the chamber defining means in substantially air-tight contact, with the article blocking said additional opening; means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall; means for maintaining the bar of said T in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and for thereafter pivoting said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position; means for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement; and means automatically responsive to the movement of said T-shaped end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position.
 12. A pneumatic conveyor for transporting an article comprising in combination: means defining an elongate chamber having a pair of longitudinal side walls and a fixed wall at one end thereof, the chamber being open at its opposite end and including an additional opening intermediate its ends in facing relationship with an article to be transported; positioning means for moving the article into engagement with the chamber defining means, the chamber defining means including a plurality of sealing skirts carried by said side walls and said fixed wall for maintaining the article in substantially air-tight contact therewith, with the article blocking said additional opening; means including an end wall of T-shaped cross section disposed within the open end of the chamber in position to engage said article when said article is in said substantially air-tight contact, said end wall being movable between a rearward position in which the bar of the T blocks said open end and is substantially parallel to said fixed wall and a forward position in which the bar of the T is disposed at an angle with respect to said fixed wall; means for maintaining the bar of said T in substantially air-tight contact with the chamber defining means during the major portion of the movement of said end wall from its rearward to its forward position and for thereafter pivoting said bar out of its substantially air-tight contact with said chamber defining means as the end wall approaches said forward position; means communicating with the chamber adjacent said fixed wall for applying suction to said chamber, the applied suction holding the article in contact with the chamber defining means and simultaneously moving the T-shaped end wall from said rearward position to said forward position, said end wall transporting said article along said additional opening during its movement; and means automatically responsive to the movement of said T-shaped end wall into said forward position for returning said end wall to said rearward position. 